Multiple drive apparatus



Oct. 27, 1931.

MWI

A. E. FREEMAN ET AL MULTIPLE DRIVE APPARATUS Filed Febx 2e. 1959 2Sheets-Sefet 1 'TTORNEY' 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 A. E. FREEMAN ET ALl MULTIPLEDRIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb.l 26, 195o NVENTORS E neen/an BY ATTORNEYPatented er. 27, y'1931"y ALBERT E. FREEMAN, or EAST ORANGE, ANDWILLIAMT. LIvERMoRE, 0E WEsTrIELn, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNo'Rs` To AMERICANTELEPHONE ANI) TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A

CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK MULTIPLE DRIVE APPARATUS This invention, relatesto multiple drive app`araitus,andl more particularly to apparatus ofthis gcharacter whichjis' adapted for use with Winches or likemachinery. f

- It is'sometiines desirable'to operate a plurality of drives from asingle power shaft.` For instance, nected. to drive either drum of adouble drum winch independently ofthe other, and to also drive otherexternal ymachinery such `as an earth-boring device, pump,or the like.

yIt is Aan object o f thisinventiontolprovide a power shaftwithimproved" equipment byk whichv -a plurality of drives may be*transmitted -fromsuch ashaft independently of each other.

A further object is to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensivearrangement of this character. l.

Thesepand'further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription, whenv considered in connection with the accom panyingdrawings in which one embodiment of the inventionis illustrated.

Referring tothe drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side 'elevation insection of the im'- proved device applied to a winch, and Fig. 2 is anend View of Fig. 1. e

The improved device as set forth in the drawings consists of supportscomprising parallel I-beams 5, 6. rThese I-beams may be placed inl atransverse position onthe framework of a truck or the like, and serve tosupport a winch and a power shaft therefor, as will be presentlydescribed.

A casing 6 of substantially cylindrical form lies in a perpendicularposition with respect to the I-beams 5, and is suspended from thelowerlanges of the I-beams by bolts 7, 7. These bolts may pass throughthe flanges of said beams andengage bosses on the casing. A centralshaft 8 is .suitably journaled in the casing and is connected at one endby means of flanges or universal joints to a power shaft e 9 which maybe driven by a source of power such as a combustion engine. The otherend of the shaft 8 may be connected by means of flnanges and universaljoints to a shaft 10 which may drive auxiliary machinery such as anearth-boring apparatusor the like.

the power shaftmay be con-y Ap'plieatienfiied Feb'r'eary 2e, 1.930.seriaiNo'. 431,613.

TheshaftlS carries sprockets 11 and 12 which i are casingk 6. Each ofthese sprockets is connectlby means of a chainl to sprockets 11 anddrive an associated drum of a winch through gearingwhich is connectedtherewith, as will presently appear. e p

A substantially cylindrical slid-ably mountedl ,onf the shaft shown inFig. 1 of the drawings,is carried by enlarged portions on the shaft8.rllhese large portions of the shaft consist of agear 14, which mesheswith the internal splinesor,y teeth at one end o f the sleeve 13, and acylindrical portion 15 qwhioh'acts as a bearing forl the otherendof saidsleeve. H y

The sprockets 11 and 12 are each provided with .integra-lhub's 16 andv17,V respectively. Thesehubs extend toward each other into the casing 6,and are suitablyl journaled therein.

respectively. The latter sprockets each l connected thereto at oppositeends of the y sleeve 13 is e 4v8 and is provided at either end withinternal splines lor teeth. The sleeve 13 in'its idle position, as.V

Blocks-18 are afliXed to the inner portions of y the hubs bysetscrewsfand these blocks abut the inner roll of a ball bearingtoprevent the' longitudinal movement ofthe hubs and associatedsprockets. Thefhubs 16 and 17 are provided at their inner ends ywithexternal splined portions or'teeth 19 which mesh with eitherthe-interior splineso'r teeth on thesliding vsleeve when it is movedaxially on the shaft. The meshing oftheinternal gearing or splinedportions 14'of the sliding gear .with

the teeth 19 on the hub 16 will transmit powi er through its sprocket11to the sprocket 11 of the winch to The meshing of the teeth orftheinternal splined portions 15 of said sleeve `with theteeth 19.01 the hub17 will transmit power through its sprocket 12 to the sprocket 12 to ldriveits associated drum. The shaft 8 and 'hubs 16 and 17 are'suitablyjournaledin the casing,'and proper lubrication for the differ! entelementsis providedin said casing.

`,The sliding shaft 8 in either direction torpermit'its :inf teriorteeth or splines to engage theteeth ory splines on the hub y16 ork thehub of a shifter fork This fork engages a drive its associated drum(y 17by'nieansl -v 2 reas circumferential groove which may be provided at oneend of the sleeve, and is mounted on a rod and connected throughsuitable linkage to a hand lever by which it is manipulated. Theinterior 'teeth or spline portions yof the sliding sleeve 13 andtheenlarged portions 14: and 15 of the shaft aie of such vdimensions thatthey are always in engagement. For instance, should the sleeve be `movedso that its interior teeth or splines engage with like elements on thehub 16, said teeth or splines will also remain partly engaged: with thegear 14 and the member 15 at the opposite end of the sleeve. The samepartial 'engage-y ment of the members 14 and.15 with the enlargedmembers of the shaft will prevail should the sleeve be moved in theopposite direction. The enlarged members on the shaft 8 thus provide asupport lfor the'sleeve at all times. The power supplied by the shaft 8will be `transmitted through the clutch connection between'th'e gearmembers of the sleeve and the gear member -of the sprocket to which'itmay be connected.

The sprockets 11 and 12 on the driving shaft 8 are Connected throughchainsy 2O to the sprockets 11 and 12 on the winch, and serve totransmit power through their associated gearing to a shaft 22. A.housing 23 is provided for each gearing and this with the standard 24,in which one end of the shaft 22 is j-ournaled, are mountedonthe I-beams5. The shaft v22 is separated into two ,pore tions as shown in Fig. 2.One portion of the shaft carries the drum 25 of the vwinch and the othercarries the dium 26, and said vdrums are adapted to be rotatedindependently of each other by power supplied totheir indie vidual shaftportions. l. 5. y In the operation of the improved arrangement power istransmitted to the central shaft which carries the drive sprockets andthe sliding sleeve'. The central shaft isv also connected to anadditional `shaft by which external machinery is operated. The' slidingsleeve when moved along the central shaft :in one direction engages thehub of a selected sprocket to cause its rotation. This sprocket in turntransmits power vthrough 'the chain connected therewith to the sprocketwhich is associated with the gearing and drum of the winch to cause itsrotation. The sleeve when moved in the other Adirection similarly causesthel rotation of the other drum. Thefdrums are thus selectively andindependently op- ,v erated. The sliding sleeve in its normal or neutralposition, as shown in Fig. 1, will be.. disengaged fromk the sprocketsconnected with either drum, and it is restored to this position when itis desired to stopthe rotation of a drum. The auxiliary shaft connect edto the central shaftwhieh operates external machinery such as anearth-boring machine or the like rotates with the central' shaft. Clutchmechanism is provided on the capable -of embodiment lspirit of jvtheinvention as auxiliary shaft to connect and disconnect the externalmachinery.

While the arrangements of this invention have been illustrated asembodied in a certain specific forniwhichhas been deemed desirable, itwill beunderstood that'th'ey are in manyk and widely departing from thedefined inl-the folvaried lforms without lowing claim.

Vhat is claimed is:

A multiple `drive apparatus comprising a casing, a driving shaftjournaled therein, sprocket membersfon said shaft, hubl members for thesprocket members having gear portions extending into sliding memberImounted on said shaftl between said hub members and having internalconnectedl withI .for moving; said to cause its teeth to teeth, external`machinery each sprocket, .and means tubular. sliding member engage theteeth of one of said hub members' connected there tothe exclusion oftheexternal ma-v to operate the external machineryA chinery connectedwitli'the othersprocket.

In testimony whereof, we have vsigned our' tionthis 24th day of names tothis specific( February., 1930.

ALBERT ',FREEMAN. 'VILLIAM T. LIVERMVORE.

said casing, a tubular Vist'

